We live in modern times and so does the world of classical dance. Some dancers are going that extra mile to keep tradition alive, albeit with a modern touch. Dubai-based Chandra Pali is one such passionate dancer.
This Kathak dancer is the founder-director of Gurukul -- a Kathak training centre in Dubai. As part of her aim to keep the traditions alive, she has designed a programme called Parampara, which aims at bringing NRI children and dancers to India to “connect with their roots. They not just learn the art but also feel connected to it in a physical way. As they live in the real India and interact with renowned teachers here. We organise workshops on rhythms, they are taught abhinaya or martial art forms like Kalari and Chau to name a few. We choose one city for each exchange programme so that the students not only get to meet the resident artistes of that particular city, but they also get to explore the lifestyle and the monuments of that place. Then they collaborate with dancers and learn something from them too in the process. This way they are learning and are also broadening their minds and horizons,” explains Pali.
Pali, who hails from Lucknow, started teaching overseas and for the past 25 years has been shuttling between Zurich, London and Dubai -- teaching Kathak and gives talks and conducts workshops on Indian culture and heritage, giving the western world a peek into our glorious performing arts – classical dance, music and also Indian martial arts forms.
“Parampara is not just about Kathak. It’s about dance. Earlier my students learnt from the likes of Purina Pande, Deepti, Guru Kapila Raj, Guru Surendra Saikiya just to name a few. This time we wanted to understand Maya Raoji’s perspective of Kathak and art. Her legacy is now nurtured and taken forward by Madhu Nataraj. We decided to collaborate with NIKC (Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography) and STEM as Madhu is an authority not just in Kathak but also contemporary and martial art forms,” observes Pali.
So the whole gurukul system, of living with a guru and learning under him/her was recreated by Pali during the recent edition of Parampara. Her students, 19 of them, lived with her. They lived in modern settings, but they functioned on traditional lines.
“At NIKC, they were they taught Natyashashtra and its connection to the performing arts,” explains Pali. They also learnt from Kathaakars Tushar and Pooja Bhatt. The idea is to make them learn to appreciate India in a holistic way. Kathak is in the monuments, food and lifestyle of Lucknow. We also take them there. The dancers actually get a feel of the form by being physically present in this land,” adds Pali.
Pali was thrilled working with Madhu as “She too believes in safe dancing techniques, which we also do. It is a style where we train dancers so that they do not cause their body any harm. NIKC was selected this time as it was time to see what martial arts was all about. This time we had dancers who were ready to learn these high pressure forms,” says the dancer-teacher.
Pali then explains the dance scene abroad.
“We train them not just as dancers, but also as art therapists and about art funding and dance critiques. The avenues are wide open there. Here too I’ve seen a drastic change in the field of dance. People can become professional trainers and also dancers. Many people are now opting for careers in dance, which is good as it will keep the tradition alive.”
The seven day workshop, which concluded last week, was designed to be a “bridge between the masters of the past, the pillars of the present and the sparks of the future.”
